Skanda Purana — Mahesvara Khanda, Shloka 17
सशिरस्कंप्रदातव्यमिति ब्रह्मा पुराब्रवीत् । महोग्राणां च दातव्यमशिरस्कमपि स्फुटम्
saśiraskaṃpradātavyamiti brahmā purābravīt | mahogrāṇāṃ ca dātavyamaśiraskamapi sphuṭam
‘মস্তকসহ (অর্থাৎ সম্পূর্ণভাবে) দান করা উচিত’—প্রাচীনকালে ব্রহ্মা এ কথা বলেছিলেন। কিন্তু মহোগ্র দেবতাদের ক্ষেত্রে মস্তকবিহীনভাবেও দান করতে হয়—এটি স্পষ্টভাবে বলা হয়েছে।
Lomaharṣaṇa (Sūta) speaking to the sages (deduced from Māheśvarakhaṇḍa context)
Scene: Brahmā (or an authoritative sage citing Brahmā) declares a rule about offerings: a complete offering for ordinary contexts, and a distinct, austere offering for fierce deities; visual contrast between saumya altar and ugra shrine.
FAQs
Offerings must match the deity and the rite: dharma is precise, and correct form safeguards both devotee and ritual purpose.
No specific site is named; the verse concerns normative ritual distinctions for different classes of deities.
A rule distinguishing offerings made ‘with head’ (complete) versus ‘without head’ (head excluded), especially for mahogra deities.